Donna Lee Alston, Instructor - Ms. Alston was a Senior Inspector with the United States Marshals Service having served 23 years in Protective Operations. Through extensive training with the U.S. Marshals, the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, Ms. Alston refined and mastered protective operations skills that include operational planning, advances and site surveys, vulnerability assessments, and foot and motorcade formations. She has a track record of producing extraordinary results in handling complex problems as they relate to protective services in pervasive environments. Combined with outstanding leadership abilities, Ms. Alston led numerous protection missions, both domestically and abroad, involving the security of high threat government witnesses, senior federal officials, and national and foreign dignitaries. In coordination with the U.S. State Department Diplomatic Security Service, Ms. Alston has performed a wide range of protective services for visiting foreign diplomats attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. Moreover, she developed protective service training modules and spent three years in Central and South America teaching police and military components protective service operations. Ms. Alston earned a Master’s Degree of Science in Criminal Justice from Troy University, Troy, AL and a Bachelor’s of Art in the Administration of Justice from American University, Washington, D.C.

Michael B. Thompson, President - After completing a 26-year career as an Inspector with the United States Marshals Service, Mr. Thompson established Advanced Law Enforcement Readiness Training (ALERT) in 1998 to provide law enforcement with the most current practices in courthouse security. Mr. Thompson is recognized as a Subject Matter Expert in physical security and vulnerability assessments pertaining to courthouse complexes; he has testified as an expert witness in several court hearings. During his tenure with the U.S. Marshals Service, Mr. Thompson spearheaded threat analysis and protective intelligence initiatives, investigating threats to members of the federal judiciary. He also received specialized training from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in surveillance techniques and acquired certification as an instructor in dignitary protection by the United States Secret Service. Mr. Thompson’s skills in dignitary protection were used numerous times by the Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. State Department, in protective missions for visiting foreign dignitaries attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. Mr. Thompson concluded the remaining 8 years of his career as an instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia where he taught basic and in-service Deputy U.S. Marshals, as well as state and local officers, dignitary protection. Mr. Thompson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Administration of Justice from San Diego State University, CA.

Ronald Boudreaux, Senior Instructor - Mr. Boudreaux retired as the United States Marshal for the Middle District of Louisiana in 2001, completing a 24-year career with the U.S. Marshals Service. During his tenure, Mr. Boudreaux served as an instructor in the Special Operations Group in Pineville, LA., training international police officials from South and Central America and Eastern Europe, in protective services, terrorist activities and hostage situations. In coordination with the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, Mr. Boudreaux protected numerous visiting foreign diplomats attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York City and the NATO Ministers Conference. His extensive experience in strategic planning, program development and training, and leadership skills catapulted him to the position of Chief of Police for the City of Lafayette, LA., in 2001 to 2004. In this capacity, he operated an $18 million budget and supervised 323 personnel. Mr. Boudreaux is a graduate of St. Mary’s Dominican College, New Orleans, LA with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice.

Ed Mitman, Senior Instructor - Mr. Mitman served 30 years with the United States Marshals Service, retiring as the Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal in 2010. Mr. Mitman’s professional achievements demonstrate his superior leadership qualities in the area of strategic planning of operational policies, training programs, and career development. He served as a member of the Special Operations Group (SOG), a highly disciplined tactical cadre created for rapid response to extraordinary missions, performing numerous protection operations on domestic and foreign dignitaries, federal judges, witnesses and extremely dangerous prisoners. Mr. Mitman, in coordination with the U.S. State Department Diplomatic Security Service, performed several protection operations for visiting foreign diplomats attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. As an instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), Mr. Mitman devised and implemented training modules spanning the full range of protective service operations, including kinesic interviewing and interpreting body language. Basic and in-service Deputy U.S. Marshals, as well as state and local law enforcement officers, benefited from Mr. Mitman’s extensive knowledge of protection operations through classroom lecture and practical exercises. Mr. Mitman is a graduate of Penn State University, having earned a Bachelor’s Degree of Science.

John F. Clark, Instructor - Mr. Clark retired as the Chief Deputy United States Marshal for the District of Maine in July 2011, concluding a 28 year career with the United States Marshals Service. During his career, he served in several field offices and was promoted to progressively responsible management and leadership positions within the agency. Mr. Clark was an Instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) and has provided training to Federal, State and Local law enforcement officers throughout the United States and abroad. He served as a Branch Chief in the Marshals Service’s Investigative Services Division and Training Division and served as the Acting Assistant Director for both divisions on several occasions. He has extensive experience in the areas of Threat Assessment, Protective Intelligence, Surveillance and Operational Planning. In addition to his work with ALERT, Mr. Clark serves as an Investigative Consultant for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and as a member of the Board of Directors for the U.S. Marshals Survivors Benefit Fund (USMSBF). He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University in Boston, MA and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy (217th Session).